Now in its fourth year, Photo London is officially all grown up with over 100 galleries set to participate at the fair this May, with Canadian fine art photographer Edward Burtynsky announced as its Master of Photography for 2018. Launched last year, the Discovery section serves as a platform for young galleries and emerging image-makers reshaping the photographic medium. Curated for the second time by art consultant and curator Tristan Lund, the 2018 edition of Discovery will feature 22 galleries, where a strong line-up of local and international galleries will take over an expanded, dedicated space.
Here, in his own words, Tristan Lund shares the seven breakthrough artists to watch out for in the Discovery section at Photo London and why...
Lorena Lohr at Cob Gallery, London
Untitled, 2017, by Lorena Lohr.
I love the inner world that Lorena Lohr creates in her photographs. Clearly referencing the strong American tradition of wandering street photographer, they exude the bitter sweet romance and mystery of the southern states. Part of the charm to her work is its simplicity, making it look really easy to take these kinds of photographs, which it definitely isn’t!
Senta Simond at Webber Represents, London
Untitled, 2017, by Senta Simond, from the series Rayon Vert, inkjet print, Baryta paper, on aluminium, silver aluminium frame.
Senta Simond’s self-published project Rayon Vert was shortlisted for the Aperture First Book Award in 2017 and has now been published by Kominek Books in Berlin. Simond’s work fits perfectly with the aesthetic of Webber – part agency, part gallery – their artists all have a strong personal practice that influences their commissioned work, making it very hard to see where the line is drawn.
Yusuke Yamatani at Yuka Tsuruno Gallery, Tokyo
Tsugi no yoru e #50, 2010, by Yusuke Yamatani, gelatin silver print. © Yusuke Yamatani.
We have been in discussion with Yuka Tsuruno Gallery for two years about participating in Photo London with the work of Yusuke Yamatani. Every project by Yamatani is so different from his next yet each has an energy to it and a sense that he is seeking answers through his art.
Pacifico Silano at Rubber Factory, New York
Mountainscapes, 2018, by Pacifico Silano, archival inkjet print.
Often the most intriguing photographs hint at a story but don’t tell us everything. The works in Pacifio Silano’s After Silence project are subtly suggestive and give away very little, allowing the viewer to use their own imagination to see beyond the frame.
Shen Wei at ON/Gallery, Beijing
I Miss You Already - New York, 2010, by Shen Wei, C-print.
I’m really excited to have our first Chinese gallery in the Discovery section of Photo London. Shen Wei’s portraits are highly stylised to the extent that they could be mistaken for fashion editorial yet feel incredibly intimate and soul searching. His work will be paired with the nudes of Liu Tao.
Marco Maria Zanin at Spazio Nuovo, Rome
Maggese II, 2016, by Marco Maria Zanin, fine art print on cotton paper. © Marco Maria Zanin.
Marco Maria Zanin showed me his work at a portfolio review in Milan last year and it stayed with me, in particular his ferite/feritoie series which hints at Irving Penn’s still lifes. I am delighted that his gallery, Spazio Nuovo, will present a solo stand of his work at Photo London.
Nikolai Ishchuk at Joanna Bryant and Julian Page, London
Threshold (4), 2017, by Nikolai Ishchuk, silver gelatin prints on expired fiber paper, acrylic, ink, mounting tape, polyurethane, aluminium. © Nikolai Ishchuk.
I’ve been following the work of Nikolai Ishchuk for several years and am delighted that Joanna Bryant and Julian Page will present a solo stand of his Thresholds series. These geometric forms are made in the darkroom with no camera or negative, there is a purity to them that is incredibly tactile and seductive.
Related: Why new photography fairs need to think beyond the booth
INFORMATION
Photo London 2018 runs 17-20 May at Somerset House. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Photo London website
ADDRESS
Somerset House
Strand
London WC2R 1LA
-
Wallpaper* Design Awards: why Sharan Pasricha is 2026’s Best HostWe salute the Indian-born, London-based hospitality entrepreneur who can’t stop thinking about ways to upgrade how we live, work and connect
-
Wallpaper* Design Awards: London’s V&A East Storehouse is Launch of the Year 2026Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the V&A family’s latest outpost turns the museum concept on its head, offering a revolutionary peek into the daily life of the institution’s Wunderkammer of a collection
-
From jet bikes to electric speedsters, the CES debuts that might just flyCES 2026 brought new releases in the world of mobility tech, including a host of automotive AI innovations. We’ve rounded up the show's key debuts
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week'Tis the season for eating and drinking, and the Wallpaper* team embraced it wholeheartedly this week. Elsewhere: the best spot in Milan for clothing repairs and outdoor swimming in December
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekFar from slowing down for the festive season, the Wallpaper* team is in full swing, hopping from events to openings this week. Sometimes work can feel like play – and we also had time for some festive cocktails and cinematic releases
-
The Barbican is undergoing a huge revamp. Here’s what we knowThe Barbican Centre is set to close in June 2028 for a year as part of a huge restoration plan to future-proof the brutalist Grade II-listed site
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt’s wet, windy and wintry and, this week, the Wallpaper* team craved moments of escape. We found it in memories of the Mediterranean, flavours of Mexico, and immersions in the worlds of music and art
-
Each mundane object tells a story at Pace’s tribute to the everydayIn a group exhibition, ‘Monument to the Unimportant’, artists give the seemingly insignificant – from discarded clothes to weeds in cracks – a longer look
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThis week, the Wallpaper* team had its finger on the pulse of architecture, interiors and fashion – while also scooping the latest on the Radiohead reunion and London’s buzziest pizza
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt’s been a week of escapism: daydreams of Ghana sparked by lively local projects, glimpses of Tokyo on nostalgic film rolls, and a charming foray into the heart of Christmas as the festive season kicks off in earnest
-
Wes Anderson at the Design Museum celebrates an obsessive attention to detail‘Wes Anderson: The Archives’ pays tribute to the American film director’s career – expect props and puppets aplenty in this comprehensive London retrospective
